Re: Libraries in Springer Open Choice

[Heather Morrison <heatherm@eln.bc.ca>]

hmm..  intriguing idea!

Regardless of what the Springer policy might be - providing the
bookkeeping could be made simple so as not to add to the costs - perhaps
there would be something to be said for a system that allowed libraries to
deduct such author payments from their own institution's subscription
costs on a dollar-by-dollar basis?

Surely there must be a means of creating a simple, automated bookkeeping
system to keep track?  Perhaps libraries could create one, perhaps an open
source system, and submit evidence of author payments in lieu (or partial
lieu) of subscription payments?

cheers,

Heather Morrison

On 12-Jul-04, at 6:23 AM, Liblicense-L Listowner wrote:

> At least 5 Springer staff subscribe to this list, and these questions 
> are directed first to them or to those who have spoken with Springer
> policymakers and can offer up some additional information regarding the
> Library subscription pricing aspect of Open Choice.
>
> It sounds as if, from now on, the pricing for each library subscription 
> to Springer journals will vary, depending on the extent to which authors
> exercise the Open Choice option, i.e., pay $3000, for their article(s)
> to be made freely available.
>
> So (to keep it simple) if annually a journal title contains 100 articles
> and the subscription costs $1,000, and 10 of the articles are submitted
> under the Open Choice plan, then what is next year's subscription price
> to each academic library customer?  Is it reduced proportionally by 1/10 
> to $900?  Is the subscription price reduced for all libraries or only 
> for those whose authors submit under Open Choice?  Is the reduction 
> directly proportional to the number of articles or is there a formula of 
> some sort that takes into account the new year's article growth, if 
> any?  How does Open Choice affect pricing for titles within "package 
> arranagements?" How does pricing work for future years:  for example, in 
> year one, 10 articles are Open Choice-d; in year two, 5 articles; in 
> year three, 15 articles. Is a base price set for each journal each year, 
> and how is that determined?
>
> Or is pricing done from now on, for all journals, on the understanding
> that libraries will pay $3,000 per article?
>
> Sorry for making a seemingly simple policy sound complicated, and thank
> you for additional information, Ann Okerson/Yale Library